Long distance beamshots?... how to?

Sorry if this has been discussed, I searched "beamshots" and well.. you know the rest.

Anyways, I see a lot of people posting beam pics with trees, buildings, fences labeled for distance. How do you guys measure out far distances? How do you know the tree is at 600 yards and not 550?

:thinking:

thanks

kramer5150 said:

Sorry if this has been discussed, I searched "beamshots" and well.. you know the rest.

Anyways, I see a lot of people posting beam pics with trees, buildings, fences labeled for distance. How do you guys measure out far distances? How do you know the tree is at 600 yards and not 550?

:thinking:

thanks

Click to expand...

I would guess that for the more outdoors inclined members of CPF, they use a laser range finder or something along those lines.

If it was me (I have yet to take beam shots, especially at long range since I have no throwers) I would measure it in yards with a yard stick! This is probably a decent way to do it, although it is slightly time consuming and rather inefficient.

That or hope a surveyor is walking by and you can ask him!

M16a

Google earth lol. But really does it matter if it was 600 or 550, I doubt it as long as you are comparing two or more lights. at the same time.

jzmtl said:

Google earth lol. But really does it matter if it was 600 or 550, I doubt it as long as you are comparing two or more lights. at the same time.

Click to expand...

Really? How accurately can one determine distances using google earth?

Assuming where you are looking at have high resolution image you can use the build in measurement tool to get distance between two point.

jzmtl said:

Assuming where you are looking at have high resolution image you can use the build in measurement tool to get distance between two point.

Click to expand...

Cool thanks!!

There are tools that use laser to measure distance

Whether it goes 600 feet/yards:thinking:

I don't know if this should have gone without saying, but it would seem like if you are doing multiple shots and comparing between shots that you'd want to put the camera on a tripod or table (to keep the field of view constant) and more importantly set the exposure manually for a constant shutter speed and aperture for all the pictures. Not all point-and-shoot cameras will allow that.

I have a Leica laser range-finder, identical to the one currently on sale in the MP, which is accurate to 1 yard at up to 1,200 yards. I've checked a number of Google Earth measurements with it, and as jzmtl says, as long as the GE image is high-resolution, it is pretty accurate.

Also a vote for Leica Rangemaster 1200.

I have in the past used a combination of high-accuracy GPS fixes (within 3 feet) and then checked the results later on google earth. ... but this was for setting up an orienteering course as I don't have any lights which would reach hundreds of yards... at least not yet :naughty:

I use actual builder's tape measure. Simple and analog :twothumbs
MDFOI

If you have a 25 foot (or 50 foot) standard carpenters tape measure, then take it outside, pull it out to its full extension and lay it on the ground. Then pace off that distance, counting your paces, and divide out to find the number of feet per pace. Now pace off the distance to the tree and reckon distance from your pace-length. It will be accurate to within +/- 5 percent if you take care in the process.

But google earth sounds like a cool idea, too! And of course, it sounds like a good excuse to buy a range finder.

However . . . as for the method involved, that's another story . . . but I won't get into that as I think you were only asking about distance measuring.

For keeping track of my running distances, I use Google Earth/Virtual Earth. I've verified accuracy on the ground is within +50 feet for every mile measured. If done very carefully, I'd say the precision approaches +20 feet for every mile measured.